February 6, 2013 - Australian guitarist Ben Frost lives and draws inspiration from his home in Iceland, where he creates ambient music. The result is a visceral listening experience.
April 25, 2013 - MPR’s David Cazares profiles acclaimed pianist, composer, and Golden Valley native Craig Taborn. In the jazz world, some listeners might yearn for tradition, while others listen for signs of authenticity. Taborn doesn't worry about such hang-ups. Whether on solo piano, in a trio, or experimenting with electronic music, he tries to reflect an evolving culture.
May 2, 2014 - MPR’s Nikki Tundel profiles soul singer Sonny Knight, who finds himself back in the music scene after decades long absence.
January 20, 2015 - Musician Billy Idol joins The Current’s Mary Lucia to talk about his book “Dancing with Myself,” his career, punk rock, and more.
March 8, 2015 - MPR’s Euan Kerr reports on a group of internationally acclaimed rock artists visiting St. Paul for a unique new music collaboration sponsored by Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra’s Liquid Music Series. The musicians are coming to perform with Helado Negro, an electronic music group led by Roberto Carlos Lange.
March 16, 2016 - MPR’s Euan Kerr interviews experimental composer and musician Laurie Anderson, who has been on the forefront of musical experimentation in the U.S. for more than 40 years. The two discuss the sounds, imagery, and juxtaposition.
December 19, 2016 - Composers Notebook host John Zech highlights composer Wendy Carlos’ musical development for Stanley Kubrick’s film A Clockwork Orange. As in his earlier hit, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Kubrick used classical music. This time, however, in keeping with the film's futuristic storyline, the classics were adapted and arranged for Moog synthesizer by Carlos.
December 27, 2017 - MPR News with Tom Weber presents a full program dedicated to James "Cornbread" Harris, Sr. Earlier in 2017, the 90-year-old rock 'n' roll pioneer (also known as Jimmy "Jam" Harris, Jr.'s dad) visited The Current's studios to record an in-studio session with Local Show host Andrea Swensson and MPR News host Tom Weber to kick off their Summer Music Series. Program includes song performances and sharing stories of his life and career.
August 15, 2020 - When a flying saucer circled over Washington, DC, in the classic 1951 sci-fi film The Day the Earth Stood Still, it did so to music played on an electronic instrument known as the “Theremin.” On this episode of Composer’s Datebook, a look back at its Russian inventor, Leon Theremin.
December 20, 2023 - Synthesizers are revolutionary instruments, using knobs, buttons, and sliders to make different sound. You can hear them in all sorts of music, from pop to hip-hop. But that wasn’t always the case. APM’s Forever Ago explores the history of these electronic devices.